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Butsudou
Category:Faeri Religions =Overview= Butsudou is practiced in Senjo-occupied territories. It is another faith that follows the belief in spirits within all of nature, though in Butsudou, these spirits are akin to gods, and the Senjo word kami means both spirit and god. Nature is sacred, and the multiple kami that inhabit Senjo lands are worshiped and revered as the protectors of the land and its people. In terms of the individual, Butsudou is very spiritual; its followers seek enlightenment by detaching themselves from their worldly attachments. How this enlightenment is obtained is debated among its practitioners, but most seek it through meditation, as Butsudou values mental development and wisdom. Once a person has reached spiritual enlightenment, their soul is released from the endless cycle of rebirth and is instead entered into the eternal state of Nehan (freedom from pain and suffering) upon death. During the reincarnation cycle, a person's deeds in their former life decided on the kind of life they are reborn into; if they were good and moral, staying faithful to their duties in life, then they are rewarded with a new life in a loftier place in society, less likely to be tarnished by harshness and woes. If they are cruel and spiteful their whole life, they are reborn into a lower status, sometimes even as certain animals such as bugs. Truly wicked souls end up in Profundum for a decade or so before being brought back into the rebirth cycle. Due to its reverence of nature, most sects of Butsudou ban the consumption of meat, though seafood such as fish and shrimp are acceptable. There are two main sects of Butsudou: Seirei and Tensei. Seirei focuses more on paying homage to the kami, nature and the current life. Tensei focuses on enlightenment and reincarnation. Though most average Senjo practice both hand in hand, holy men and women focus on one or the other; Priests and priestesses (known as "miko") lead the Seirei path, while monks and nuns lead the Tensei path. They coexist in harmony rather than trying to win others over to their particular side, and each sect serves significant roles in Senjose life. =Daifu= :Gender: Male :Morals: Lawful Neutral :Nicknames: The Sun God, Kami King :Allies: Good and Neutral kami :Enemies: Evil Kami :Holy Text: Kamimichi :Domains: The Senjo, the sun :History: The fourth child of Sateer and Fai, Daifu struggled briefly with his elder brothers and younger sister, but then decided it wasn't worth the effort, instead focusing his efforts on his own interests: primarily, the creation of the Senjo, who, like the Duendo were dark-haired, but lighter-skinned, like their Drude cousins. Many of the kami came forth from Daifu even when he did the smallest things: sneeze, walk, or laugh. Through one of his many early struggles with his elder brothers, Migliore and Askari, Daifu retreated in shame to a cave, casting the Senjo world into darkness. The other kami attempted to persuade Daifu out, their efforts meaningless at first. One female kami then began a bawdy dance, leading the other spirit-gods to laugh and Daifu to look outside his cave, curious. The other kami seized him and brought him back out into the world, restoring the light. This shows that while Daifu is the original creator of all the kami, he is not the strongest -- not on his own. As such, he is not worshiped over any other spirit/deity, though his role as the Butsudou Sun God remains important. Daifu's son, Sochi, had an affair with a mortal noblewoman led to the birth of his son, Ninigi. Daifu entrusted the overseeing of the world below to his demigod grandson, and gave him three sacred objects: the Yata no Kagami (a mirror), the Kusanagi no Tsurugi (a sword), and the Yasakani no Magatama (a jewel). Ninigi later passed on these relics to his own grandson, Jimmu, who became the first emperor of Senjokuni. As there are countless kami in Butsudou, they won't be described in-depth here unless they reflect some significance on a particular story.